1. The Technical Field
The present invention relates to apparatus for containing, storing and transporting elongated filament-like materials, such as cord, rope, wire or cable. In particular, the present invention is directed to reels, spools and/or drums for the transporting of large quantities of rope, wire or cable.
2. The Prior Art
When filament-like materials, such as electrical or telephone wire, or the like, are manufactured, they are typically originally manufactured in lengths which may be up to several thousands of yards, and are packed for transportation and temporary storage in a wound manner. Apparatus for transporting such relatively large lengths of filament material are known. Such apparatus include spools, reels or drums, which have been typically fabricated in the past from materials such as wood, plastic or metal.
A typical wooden spool, for example, will comprise two round disc-like members, joined at their centers by a transversely extending cylindrical core, which may or may not be hollow, depending upon the size of the overall spool structure. Because the weight of the thousands of yards of wire material, which may be wound upon such a spool may total several hundred pounds or more, the spool must be made in a robust manner, so that the spool, if made from wood, may itself weigh 50-100 or more pounds.
Such spools may alternatively be made from metal, for strength, but such metal fabricated reels or spools likewise may weigh 50-100 pounds or more.
Alternative apparatus for storing and transporting wire and the like may be in the form of a drum which typically will be a hollow cylindrical structure having a bottom into which the wire is laid in a circular manner to create a coil of material. A central post or pylon structure may be provided to facilitate maintaining the wire in a coil form.
The weight of such heavy spools or drums contributes to the overall combined weight of the package. Such additional weight limits the amount of the net weight of filament material which may be shipped in a given shipment. In addition, such wooden or metal reels, spools or drums may be expensive to fabricate. Accordingly, in an effort to recoup some of the expense of manufacture, once the wooden or metal spools, etc., are delivered to their ultimate destination and emptied, the spools, etc., are typically shipped empty back to the source, thus creating the additional expense of transporting the empty containers.
In an effort to reduce the weight of such containers, such containers may be and have been manufactured, at least in part, from plastic materials. However, such at least partially plastic containers likewise entail additional expense in their manufacture and additional expense associated with the reuse of such containers, through the transportation of empty containers back to their sources. In addition, containers incorporating plastic components in whole or in part may add to recycling difficulties and/or additional expense.
Still other prior art filament container apparatus may be drums fabricated from fibre materials, which are drum structures reinforced or bound at top and bottom by metal hoops or rings.
It would be desirable to provide a container for the transportation and/or temporary storage of elongated filament materials such as wire, cord, cable or rope which may be manufactured from relatively inexpensive materials.
It would additionally be desirable to provide a container for transporting and storing filament material which is relatively lightweight compared to prior art wood, metal and/or plastic apparatus.
It would additionally be desirable to provide such a container which may be fabricated from readily recyclable materials.